Body mass index, life-style, and healthy status in free living elderly people in menorca island

Objectives: to assess the BMi, life-style, and healthy status, and explore relationships between these parameters, among Menorca’s free living elderly people. Methods: A cross-sectional survey carried out in Menorca island in 2009. A random sample (n=450) of the elderly population (≥65 years) was interviewed. Anthropometric measurements and a general questionnaire incorporating questions related to socio-demographic and life-style factors and health status were used. Results: Approximately five per cent of elders were underweight and 60% overweight or obese. underweight were positively and overweight and obesity negatively affected by age. the prevalence of central obesity, according to the Wc cut-off points, was 66.8% in men and 85.1% in women. low education, socioeconomic status and physical activity were risk factors for malnutrition and overweight/obesity. A possible cognitive impairment was found among elderly persons with BMi<22 kg/m2. A J-shaped association between BMi and hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, heart failure and other cV diseases, a u-shaped relation between BMi and diabetes mellitus, arthritis, and chronic bronchitis, and an inverted J-shape between BMi and gastric ulcer, osteoporosis & bone fractures, cancer, and prostatitis (in men) were found. Conclusions: Both low and high BMi are associated with a wide range of prevalent conditions and diseases in Menorca elderly men and women.